Episode 221: Bob Hope
Kermit suggests that Animal take up a hobby to calm his nerves, so he tries out a few -- alligator wrestling, bowling overhand, and hunting bunny rabbits with a tank gun. Meanwhile, hard-working Bob Hope runs back and forth between The Muppet Show and a number of benefits, including ones for the Flying Zucchini Brothers and the Japanese Pole Vaulters Retirement Fund. Kermit keeps trying to keep Hope in the theater long enough to deliver one of his famous monologues, but when the guest star is finally ready to fulfill his obligation to the Muppets, Kermit refuses to cancel Gonzo's bread impersonation act to make space for his monologue. Instead, he offers Hope a spot in the lousy cowboy sketch. Songs/Sketches * "Pig Calypso" * "For What It's Worth" * Muppet News Flash: Fishing Season * The Swedish Chef: Pressed Duck * Muppet News Flash: Opera Season * Beethoven's "Pathétique" * UK Spot: "Long Long Ago" Medley * Muppet Labs: Automatic Wastebasket * "Nola" * "Don't Fence Me In" Notes * According to Of Muppets and Men, Christopher Reeve, a close friend of Jim Henson's, puppeteered a background pole-vaulter for this show. * While taping this episode, the Muppets and Bob Hope also recorded a skit for The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special. * A third Newsflash scene, declaring the opening of hunting season and allowing a moose to fall on the Newsman, was cut from the episode. This was to appear between the "Fishing season" and "Opera season" bits.Bailey, Joseph. Memoirs of a Muppets Writer, page 169. *Audio from Kermit's theme intro appears in The Muppets when they first set foot in the dilapidated Muppet Theatre. Episode Edits *Nickelodeon: The first backstage sequence and first Muppet News Flash were both cut. Cast Muppets: :Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf the Dog, Animal, Statler and Waldorf, Crazy Harry, Floyd Pepper, The Flying Zucchini Brothers, Opossum, Gramps, George the Janitor, The Newsman, Japanese Pole Vaulters, The Swedish Chef, Ronald Duck, Opera Singer, J. P. Grosse, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, Automatic Wastebasket, Paul Revere, Pigs, Whatnots, Background Muppets: :Annie Sue, Zoot, Alligators, Baskerville the Hound, Robin the Frog, Afghan Hound, Harrison Fox, James Badger, Will Possum, George Rabbit, Nat Muskrat, Deer, Mouse, Beaver Performers :Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, The Newsman, The Swedish Chef and Waldorf :Frank Oz as Animal, Fozzie Bear, Zucchini Brother and Miss Piggy :Jerry Nelson as Floyd Pepper, Pig, Gramps, Opossum, Zucchini Brother, Pole Vaulter, J.P. Grosse, Automatic Wastebasket and Paul Revere :Richard Hunt as Scooter, Beaker, Pole Vaulter, Zucchini Brother, J.P. Grosse, George the Janitor and Statler :Dave Goelz as Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Gonzo, Ronald Duck, Whatnot Hunter, Pig, Zoot, and Zucchini Brother :Louise Gold as Annie Sue and an Opera Singer Gallery Image:Bob_Hope05.jpg Image:Bob_Hope08.jpg Image:Bob_Hope07.jpg Image:MuppetShow-Gonzo&BobHope.jpg Image:Bob_Hope01.jpg Image:Bob_Hope02.jpg Image:Bob_Hope06.jpg Image:Bob_Hope03.jpg|Behind the scenes: Bob Hope & Jim Henson Image:Bob_Hope04.jpg Sources External links *Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 11/2/1977 - Bob Hope - also Hope's Special __NOWYSIWYG__ 221